


Before Emi: Era's Story

by TheNocturnalHermit



Series: The Airbender [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Airbending & Airbenders, Angst with a Happy Ending, Earth Kingdom, Eastern Air Temple, F/M, Fire Nation, Firebending & Firebenders, Friends to Lovers, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, It's really not as bad as it sounds, Non-Graphic Violence, Romance, Water Tribe(s), Waterbending & Waterbenders, You'll see when you read the story, but it's brief
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 09:00:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7708981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNocturnalHermit/pseuds/TheNocturnalHermit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short tale that follows Era, Emi's great-grandmother (my OC from A Gentle Wind and a Roaring Fire). It is not necessary to read that story before reading this one, though it certainly wouldn't hurt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before Emi: Era's Story

The sky was alive with an array of reds, oranges, and pinks. Birds fluttered through the air, lending their voices to the peaceful atmosphere. Lemurs jumped from tree to tree, chattering loudly to one another. Below on the mountaintop the people of the Eastern Air Temple were celebrating the newest addition to the Airbending Masters. There was plenty of food and drink to go around, laughter ringing through the calm evening as the Air Nomads rejoiced.

  
Era stood with her friends, all of them grinning at her brand new tattoos. She hadn’t stopped smiling since she had removed her ceremonial robe to show off the pale blue arrows that wound around her arms and legs, and curved over her head.

  
“Looks like Chanda is the only one left out of the three of us who still needs to earn her tattoos,” one of the girls remarked, nudging her friend playfully.

  
“Hey, my test is only a few months away,” Chanda retorted. “I’m so excited! But…so nervous at the same time.”

  
“You’ll be fine, Chanda,” Era assured the frazzled girl. “All you have to do is…what we do everyday. It’s not that hard, really.”

  
“Tell that to the monks,” the first girl muttered, looking over at a group of older Air Nomads who were talking amongst themselves. “They’re sticklers for the history portion of our tests.”

  
Chanda’s head whipped around, her dark eyes wide with horror. “Th-there’s a history portion?!” she squeaked.

  
“Nice job, Reem,” Era shook her head as their friend began to chew her nails obsessively. “Now she’s going to be on the brink of anxiety for the next month!”

  
“Hey, I’m just being honest,” Reem defended herself, shrugging carelessly.

  
Era shook her head again, chuckling helplessly. She gazed around at the other nomads, smiling as they celebrated. Suddenly she felt a large hand rubbing her newly shaved head, squishing her down a little.

  
“Hey!” she complained, whirling around to glare at the offender. “What do you think you’re doing, Zeru?”

  
“Just giving my little sister a congratulatory head rub,” her brother remarked with a wink. “Nice tattoos.”

  
“Hi, Zeru!” Reem gushed, grinning widely.

  
Era rolled her eyes and gave her friend a sharp nudge. “Down girl,” she muttered.

  
“Zeru, when you took your Airbending tests was there a history portion?” Chanda cut in.

  
“Of course,” he said. Chanda gave a low whine and sunk down to the ground, hugging her knees to her chest.

  
“Do you ever actually help people?” Era asked, raising an eyebrow at her brother.

  
“Hey, I’m just being honest,” Zeru shrugged, smirking playfully.

  
“And the evidence keeps rolling in,” Reem remarked to Era under her breath, smirking as well.

  
“Shut up, it’s not gonna happen,” Era hissed back.

  
“We’ll see about that, sweetie,” Reem winked with a mischievous grin.

  
Just then the elders broke away from the celebration, shuffling back toward the temple with their heads close together, whispering urgently. The four of them watched as the monks disappeared from sight, a frown playing on Era’s face.

  
“Is it me, or do they seem more somber than usual?” she asked her friends.

  
“Well it’s no wonder, really,” Zeru remarked.

  
“What do you mean?” Chanda asked worriedly, standing back up.

  
“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say. Besides, there’s still a lot that’s…undecided.”

  
“Zeru, what are you talking about?” Era asked impatiently.

  
“Look, let’s just say I overheard the elders talking the other day,” Zeru explained, lowering his voice. “And there’s something big going on. Something serious.”

  
The three girls looked at one another, their confusion evident until Reem gasped excitedly. “Ooh! Ooh! It’s about who the new Avatar is, isn’t it?!”

  
“Shh!” The other three shushed her, looking around at the other nomads to be sure that none of them had overheard.

  
“Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t,” Zeru remarked. “But there’s something more to it. I just wasn’t able to stick around long enough to find out.”

  
“Well what’s the point of eavesdropping if you don’t take risks?” Reem grumbled, crossing her arms.

  
“Zeru needs to watch his step these days, after that whole fiasco with Monk Deo,” Era remarked, smirking at her brother.

  
“You try to help make fruit pies one time and a monk almost catches fire,” Zeru shrugged helplessly. “It could happen to anyone!”

  
“Of course it could!” Reem assured him, hugging his arm tightly and ignoring Era’s pointed coughing behind her.

  
Chanda chuckled, smiling sympathetically. “Give it up, Era. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

  
“Yeah…I know,” Era sighed, smiling back at her friend. Together they grabbed Reem and Zeru, dragging them back over to the heart of the party. They spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing with their fellow Air Nomads, enjoying the beauty of the moment as the stars above made their debut, twinkling down upon the celebration.

\- - -

**One Year Later**

Era walked through the temple passageways, heading over to the bison reserve. As she neared the area, she could easily hear the bellowing of several of the beasts as they flew around. Once she was within their sight, the giant sky bison came flying toward her. Era laughed as they all gathered around and licked her in turns, greeting her happily.

  
“Steady, guys, steady! There’s plenty to go around.” Era reached into the basket she had been carrying, handing out various fruits to each of the bison she came across. They gobbled up the delicacies eagerly, flying away when they had had their fill. It didn’t take long after that for the lemurs to come out of hiding, chasing some of the younger bison and trying to get bits of their fruit. Era took pity on the playful creatures and tossed them some food as well.

  
“You’re really getting good at this.”

  
Era turned around, smiling as Chanda came up to her. “I love being around the sky bison. They’re so sweet and intelligent. What’s not to enjoy?”

  
“Good point,” Chanda remarked, taking an apple from the basket and taking a bite. “I've come bearing a message. Zeru is looking for you. Wants to talk to us about something.”

  
“Oh, he finally managed to find some time for his dear little sister?” Era sniped. “Finally remembered I exist, did he?”

  
“I told you it was bound to happen,” her friend shrugged, chewing on her apple. “Besides, you know they’re perfect for each other.”

  
“Yeah…” Era heaved a sigh, setting the empty basket down. “I know. Still doesn’t make it any less weird. So where is he?”

  
“On the other side of the temple. Come on, we‘ll take the long route.”

  
“Is he not impatient?” Era asked, smirking a little.

  
“Whatever it is, it can wait,” Chanda smirked in return, tugging a lock of her friend’s pale hair. “Besides, I think Reem would be appreciative of the extra time.”

  
Era rolled her eyes, chuckling. Together the two friends started walking back along the covered paths, listening to the sweet birdsong among the trees. They passed by several younger Airbenders who were laughing as they played together, the wind from their bending creating a pleasant breeze in the warm summer day.

  
“Remember when we were like that?” Era remarked as she watched the children zoom out of sight.

  
“Yeah. Except we didn’t know how to make air scooters,” Chanda replied, tossing her apple core away. “Who taught them that?”

  
“A while back we had some Air Nomads visit from the Southern Air Temple. I think one of them had made up that move.”

  
“Oh yeah! Yeah that one boy, uh…Aang! Was it me, or did he actually have Airbender tattoos?”

  
“No, he definitely had his tattoos,” Era chuckled. “Youngest Airbending master in history.”

  
“Great. It took me nineteen _years_ to earn my tattoos!” Chanda lamented, crossing her arms emphatically.

  
“Hey, that’s a whole year earlier than me,” Era shot back, nudging her friend playfully.

  
They soon came to the courtyard where several other monks and nomads were milling around, chatting or working. Near the rail overlooking the cliffs, they found Zeru and Reem standing together. As they approached the couple Era lightened her steps, sneaking forward until she was right behind her brother. She then raised her hand and gave a sharp flick to the back of his bald head.

  
“ _Ow_!” Zeru complained, whirling around. “What was that for?!”

  
“Oh…reasons,” Era remarked, grinning mischievously. “So, what did you want?”

  
“Something big is happening,” Reem said, frowning slightly.

  
“Big how?” Chanda asked.

  
“War big,” Zeru replied tersely.

  
“What?” Era couldn’t help but laugh, though it was short lived as Zeru and Reem continued to look grim. “What are you talking about? What war?”

  
“We were just hanging around the meditation room and we happened to overhear some of the elders talking,” Reem explained.

  
“You two really need to find something else to do as a couple,” Chanda remarked, shaking her head.

  
“And they were talking about some tensions within the other nations,” Zeru continued, ignoring her. “Tensions bad enough that they had to reveal the identity of the next Avatar.”

  
“Wait, really? Who is it?!” Era demanded.

  
“We don’t know, the elders didn’t say,” Reem said. “But they did say he was young. Younger than the usual age they would have told him of his identity.”

  
“And apparently he’s run away,” Zeru added.

  
“Shaping up to be a great Avatar so far,” Reem muttered under her breath.

  
“Well, if he is still just a kid it must be a lot of pressure for him,” Chanda remarked. “I probably would have done the same thing!”

  
“Of course you would have,” Reem rolled her eyes.

  
“So, wait, what about this whole war thing?” Era asked.

  
Zeru heaved a sigh, shrugging. “I don’t know. But something bad is going to happen. Something really bad.”

  
The four of them fell silent, looking out over the cliffs and into the mists below. Despite the tension between them, Era still couldn’t fully believe something as serious as a war was on the horizon. She looked around behind her, watching the other nomads who were still talking and laughing together, completely at peace. There was so much happiness and light. How could anything bad happen to them?

  
“Look, whatever is going on is a long way away from us. We‘re completely safe here,” Chanda remarked in the silence. “Come on, let’s play some air ball.”

  
Reem seemed eager enough to go along, trotting after her friend as they headed over to the game court. Zeru and Era, however, hesitated for a moment longer.

  
“Be honest with me,” she asked, looking up at her brother. “Is this really as serious as it seems?”

  
“I think so, sis,” Zeru sighed, putting an arm around her shoulder and leading them toward the courtyard. “But we shouldn’t worry about the future so much. Whatever happens, happens. We’ll be fine.”

  
“Promise?”

  
Zeru merely smiled, hugging Era tightly to his side as they walked.

  
\- - -

Later that night Era sat in her room, looking out at the darkening sky. A lemur flew onto her windowsill, chattering at her until she gave in and fed it a fruit slice. Era chuckled as the critter flew off, but her laughter soon died away as she thought more about what her brother had said.

  
It was the way of the nomads to simply live in the moment, taking each day as they came and always looking on the bright side of life. Nothing good would come from dwelling on what could be, so there was no use in worrying. And yet, Era couldn’t help but keep obsessing over the apparent war that was brewing. In all her years, she had never had to confront such a situation. And she really didn’t want to face it now, if it ever did come to pass.

  
Suddenly, she was shaken from her grim musings as the sky came alive with a bright red glow. Era sat up straighter, peering out her window in confusion. Below, she could hear the murmurs of the other nomads as they, too, noticed the abrupt illumination.

  
A chill ran down Era’s spine as she watched the glow, which seemed to burn away all the stars and clouds. Nothing was left but the eerie blood red color. A soft inner voice piped up at that moment; _something’s not right._

  
She immediately left her window and ran down the stairs, rushing into the courtyard where more and more Air Nomads were gathering, their faces expressing everything from awe to fear. Something brighter lit up the sky as they all watched, burning like a giant fireball. The birds and lemurs that had been occupying the trees around the temple suddenly took off into the air, shrieking with alarm.

  
Era scanned the crowd, searching until she found him. She pushed through the bodies and put a hand on his shoulder.

  
“Zeru, what is this? What’s going on?” she asked worriedly.

  
“I…” He turned to her, looking helpless. “I don’t know.”

  
“Maybe we should evacuate,” Chanda suggested as she and Reem made their way over to the siblings.

  
“And go where?” Reem remarked. “And besides, we don’t even know what _this_ is!”

  
“Whatever it is, I really don’t have a good feeling…” Era muttered, her gaze locked on the bloody skies.

  
A low rumbling began to echo through the still air. It was felt more than heard, the stone beneath the nomads shaking as if the earth itself was shifting. They all looked around warily, the darkness oppressive and eerie. The rumbling became louder and more violent, a soft sizzling underlying the quakes.

  
And then, several massive fireballs came pelting through air toward the temple.

  
Screams belted all around as the nomads scattered, some running away from the attack while others jumped forward to counter the onslaught, wielding powerful air shields in the hopes of deflecting the flames. Era was frozen to the spot, her eyes wide and unblinking as she watched the streaking fire that seemed far too large to have any right to exist. Someone started yanking on her arm, trying to drag her away from the flames that exploded in the courtyard, even despite the efforts of the Airbenders to defend the temple.

  
“ _Come on, let’s go_!” Zeru shouted, tugging her along as he ushered Reem and Chanda ahead of them. They all fell back, running into the temple. But that didn’t shield them from the screams of the other nomads and the booms of each fireball that hit their mountain.

  
“Wha-what’s happening? Why i-is the F-fire Nation at-tacking us?!” Chanda gasped, tears filling her eyes as panic set in.

  
“Sweetie…y-you have to calm down. We can…we just have to…” Reem tried to assure her friend, but she could only shake her head helplessly and look to Zeru. “What are we going to do?”

  
“You three are going to leave this temple. Get as far away as you can,” Zeru immediately said. “Gather as many of the others as you can find and just get somewhere safe.”

  
“ _What_?! We’re _not_ leaving you!” Era insisted.

  
“How could you even think that?!” Reem added.

  
Before Zeru could say anything, another violent explosion shook the foundation of their temple. Rubble fell from the ceiling, cracks appearing in the stonework as the integrity became compromised. A fresh round of screams arose in the chaos, the sound tearing at Era’s heart.

  
“I’m not asking your permission!” Zeru snapped. “You guys are leaving! _Now_!”

  
“Zeru-” Reem tried to speak until he cut her off with a kiss. He then enveloped her in a tight hug, pulling back after a moment to look into her eyes.

  
“I love you. Go. Now,” he commanded, kissing her forehead. Zeru then took Chanda in his arms, hugging her tightly before turning to his sister. He held her close, as if trying to memorize the feel of her in his arms. “Keep them safe. I love you, Era.”

  
A kiss to the forehead and then he was gone, running toward the fray as the other Airbenders valiantly tried to hold off the Firebenders.

  
“Come on,” Reem said, taking Era by the hand. “Let’s go!”

  
Despite every fiber of her being wanting to go after her brother, Era allowed herself to be led in the opposite direction, the explosions thundering behind them as the Fire Nation unleashed their violent assault.

  
They tore down the hallways of the temple, dust and rubble falling all around as the earth continued to shake. The ringing screams kept following them relentlessly, though they passed no one else on their way to safety. Era refused to think about what was happening to the others. She couldn’t think of it.

  
Just then a powerful quake convulsed the entire mountain upon which the temple stood. The three of them tripped, falling to the ground as all stability was taken away. The roaring of flames ripped through the air; Era couldn’t believe fire could ever be so powerful. The girls screamed in terror, panic shutting down their reflexes. They tried to cling to one another as their very reality was turned upside down. Large cracks began to crisscross along the stone floor, penetrating deep into the foundation. Suddenly, Era felt herself tip violently to the side as part of the floor began to cave and break away from the temple. She shrieked in alarm, her arms flailing as she tried to cling to her friends. They, too, attempted to hold on, but she was slipping fast. The floor finally gave way, and before Era knew it she was tumbling down into an abyss, the screams of her friends following her until she was knocked unconscious as she hit the ground far below.

\- - -

Light began to seep into her dull vision. She stirred sluggishly, unable to comprehend anything beyond the radiating pain that seemed to emanate from all over her body. Era tested the strength of one of her arms, wincing as the movement pulled at a fresh wound. She did little tests with her limbs and muscles, feeling a great deal of pain but otherwise she seemed intact. That in itself was a miracle, and she clung on to that thought as she acclimated herself to being conscious again.

  
After a few minutes, Era felt confident enough to try sitting up. Even that small movement was taxing, and she felt her senses swim with nausea as she pushed herself upright, dirt and ash falling from her body and making her cough violently. She placed a delicate hand against her head, willing the dizziness to fade. After she managed to get her breathing under control, Era blinked several times and looked around herself.

  
It was daytime, though the sunlight was dulled by the thick haze of smoke and mist that hung along rocky mountainside. Not a single sound cut the air; the silence was a heavy blanket that was far too somber. Era could smell the sharp tang of ashes all around her. It made her even more nauseous.

  
Unwillingly, memories of the previous night swam up in her mind. Brief flashes of fire, echoes of screaming nomads, the earth tearing itself apart, the blazing fireball in the sky that painted their entire world in a red haze. And then her friends, their terrified faces haunting her as she fell away from them.

  
Era stumbled up to her feet, almost becoming paralyzed by a strong wave of dizziness. She managed to force the feeling back and started to wander in the general direction of the temple. By some ingrained instinct, she knew where to go. But what she would find she could not begin to imagine.

  
It took her several long minutes to get back to the temple courtyard, having to stop numerous times to catch herself before she collapsed onto the ground. But by the time Era was standing in the middle of the wreckage, she wished with every fiber of her being that she was still unconscious.

  
Smoke still swirled from the smoldering boulders of destroyed pillars and balconies. Nearly all the trees had been disintegrated, and those that were left standing were blackened shells of their former selves. There was so much ash and dust scattered around, the stench overwhelming her senses. The silence was more apparent as Era stood in the middle of the courtyard; not a single living creature was left. Except for her. And she had no idea why.

  
A lump formed in her throat, and her breathing became harsh and uneven. Dimly, Era realized that she had started to move again, shuffling along as she stared at the remains of her nation.

  
“Zeru?” she whispered, her voice tight with emotion that was barely held in check. “Reem? Chanda?”

  
She stumbled, her foot catching on something hard and metallic. Looking down, trying to see past the veil of tears, Era saw a helmet belonging to a Fire Nation soldier. She drew a shuddering breath, looking around more and more, but seeing none of the faces she desperately needed to see.

  
“Zeru!” Era called a little louder, the sound ringing harshly in the still air. “Reem! Chanda! Where are you?!”

  
She stumbled a second time, falling to her knees. Era couldn’t find the will to get back up again as she started to rock back and forth, her body wracked with violent sobs as she felt her very soul being ripped to shreds.

  
“ _Please_!” she shrieked hysterically. “ _Zeru, answer me_! _Somebody_!”

  
Era folded in on herself, clutching her tattered robes as her tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

  
“Please…” she begged the silence. “Please…come back. Don’t leave me alone…don’t leave me. Please…”

\- - -

**Three Years Later**

Era adjusted her clothes for the umpteenth time, making sure her tattoos would not show. Not that she spent much time in the Earth Kingdom villages; if she could avoid the crowded streets, she did so with a passion. Still, she was no master at living in the woods. Even after everything she had managed to learn, there was still so much that she did not know how to do. So Era just had suck it up and venture into town a few times a month to stock up on supplies. What really bothered her, though, was that she had to find little jobs to do to earn the money to be able to actually buy those supplies. Not that she was against hard work. But she was really not qualified for doing a lot of what was required of her.

  
Not to mention most of the people she ended up doing jobs for tended to be…unpleasant. To say the least.

  
Era understood, though. The war with the Fire Nation was still in its infancy, and the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes were doing everything they could to defend themselves against the tyrannical powers.

  
_Why did this have to happen?_ Era wondered yet again as she looked around at the grim faces of the villagers as they passed her by. There wasn’t much happiness to be found these days. More disturbing was the demeanor of the children Era would see from time to time. It pained her that they hardly laughed or played, and when they did they were quickly shushed and ushered into the sanctuary of the nearest house.

  
“Lin! Stop your daydreamin’ and get back to work!”

  
Era jumped, the loud voice of the old man she was currently assisting cutting through her thoughts. She muttered a quick apology and readjusted the basket of blankets she had been carrying to the nearby river for a wash. It was dull work, but at least she would be afforded some solitude in the forest outside the village.

  
Soon she left the crowded streets behind in favor of the serene forest paths. Era took a deep breath, allowing the scent of the trees and the grass to soothe her frayed nerves. She quickly made her way toward the river bank and knelt down to get to work. Her hands worked swiftly, her reflexes strong even though she had stopped Airbending almost altogether. It was just too dangerous these days. And it made her too depressed. Every time she created even a small breeze, Era was wracked with painful memories of her friends and her brother. So she put a stop to her Airbending. As much as she could, anyway.

  
After about an hour Era stood back up, hanging the freshly washed blankets along the branches of the nearest trees for them to dry. She stepped back to appraise her work, a small frown on her face. This was when Airbending would come in handy the most. Her work would be done that much sooner and she would have her money and be on her way before the sun set. Waiting for the blankets to dry naturally would take the rest of the day, and Era did not relish sitting around twiddling her thumbs as she watched the cloth dry.

  
“Oh, don’t be stupid…” she muttered to herself, turning her back on the blankets and sitting down by the river bank. Era glared into the gently flowing current, her reflection distorted but she could still see the dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. It had been a long time since she had gone a night without any bad dreams. She was used to it, though. She had no other choice, really.

  
The time ticked by slowly for Era as she waited for the blankets to dry. She soon abandoned her post by the riverside and began to pace, her anxiety coiling tighter and tighter in her chest. She desperately wanted to be done with her job so she could get her supplies and retreat back to her isolated camp. At least there she felt somewhat at ease.

  
Era squinted up through the leaves of the trees, checking the position of the sun. There was still a few hours left before dark. With a low groan Era turned on her heel, marching toward the blankets and shooting her arms out, two strong blasts of wind making the cloth flutter wildly. Within seconds, the blankets were dry and fluffy.

  
Era heaved a sigh of relief and quickly got the blankets down, folding them hastily and putting them away in the basket. She then picked up the large load and made her way back into the village eagerly.

  
There were still a multitude of people walking the streets, all of them chatting with one another amid the yelling of the vendors trying to sell their wares before the day was done. Era kept her head down, seamlessly moving through the crowds with graceful steps. One of the perks of being an Airbender that she was somewhat grateful for. She only looked up from the ground when she saw the small shop where she had volunteered to wash the blankets, the old shop keeper currently in a shouting match with a customer over the quality of the fabric he was trying to sell. Era bit back a sigh and made her way over to the shop only to have someone run into her heavily. She cried out as she lost her balance, her basket flying from her hands and the blankets landing in the muddy street.

  
“Oh… _no_!” Era groaned, crawling over to one of the blankets and picking up a dripping edge. All of her work; ruined.

  
“I am so sorry! Are you okay?” The man who had run into her reached down to help her up but Era ignored him, too caught up in her misery. And unfortunately, her bad day was about to get worse.

  
“What have you done?!” the shop keeper shouted, waddling over to stare aghast at his blankets strewn about the street. “This is quality fabric! And you’ve _ruined_ it!”

  
“Mr. Wen, I am terribly sorry-” Era began to say before she was interrupted.

  
“It’s all my fault, sir. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

  
Era finally looked up at the man who had effectively ruined her day, blinking a little in surprise when she saw him. She had thought from the timber of his voice that he was about middle aged, but he didn’t appear to be all that much older than her twenty-four years. He was also clearly not of the Earth Nation, wearing what appeared to be tribal clothes of blue and white.

  
“I don’t give a rat’s fanny whose fault it was!” Era blinked, focusing back on her irate manager. “Someone is payin’ for this mess, and that someone is going to be you, missy!”

  
Era gaped in horror, stumbling up to her feet. “I can’t afford to pay for this!” she retorted indignantly. “That’s why I was working for you in the first place; I need the money!”

  
“Well if you can’t pay for my ruined merchandise with money, you’ll just have to work it off for free!” Mr. Wen snapped, glaring up at Era with a cruel smile.

  
“What?!” Era recoiled in shock. She couldn’t possibly tolerate working for such a sour person, for free no less. How was she supposed to provide for herself if she wasn’t going to earn any money?

  
“Look, I’ll pay for the blankets,” the other man said, stepping firmly between Mr. Wen and Era. “How much?”

  
“One hundred gold pieces,” Mr. Wen immediately said, crossing his thin arms triumphantly. Era bit back an outraged noise; she knew for a fact those blankets were second hand and not even worth half that amount.

  
However, the man before her merely reached into his pocket and drew out a handful of blue coins, holding them out to the older man. He eyed the money and scoffed.

  
“I ain’t got no use for Water Tribe money!” he snapped.

  
“This isn’t just any Water Tribe money,” the man replied. “It’s specially made with a silver inlay. Take it to any of the vendors on this street; they’ll tell you it’s worth twice as much as a hundred gold pieces.”

  
Era raised an eyebrow, wondering if any of that was true. However Mr. Wen was now eyeing the money more closely, greed glinting brightly in his eyes. After a few moments he snatched the coins from the man’s hand.

  
“Fine, it’s a deal! Now get out of my sight, you useless lump!” He waved his thin arms at Era, who huffed indignantly and stalked away. She tried to look on the bright side; at least she wasn’t going to be working for such a grumpy man for free. However…she had no money and the day was dying fast.

  
“Hey, wait up!”

  
Era paused for a moment, looking back to see the Water Tribe man running up to her. She scowled and turned away, marching down the streets as fast as she could without actually running. That didn’t deter him, and he soon fell in step beside Era.

  
“Look, I really am sorry for ruining your work,” he said. “But hey, at least I got you off the hook with that jerk. I deserve a thank you for that, right?”

  
Era frowned, knowing he had a point and hating it. “Fine. Thank you for helping me out. Now, good day.” She took a sharp right turn and headed down the road out of the village. The man was startled for a moment but he quickly caught up to her, much to Era’s annoyance.

  
“Why are you following me?” she demanded, stopping short and turning to glare at the man.

  
“Well, for one, you’re heading into prime thieving territory,” he remarked. “And for two, it’s best if I leave this village as quickly as possible.”

  
Era raised an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

  
“That special Water Tribe money I gave your old boss? There’s nothing special about it,” the man chuckled. “I just lied so he’d give you a break. Still, when he finds out I want to be as far away from here as I can get.”

  
Era could only continue to stare at this stranger in disbelief. There was something distinctly familiar about his little ploy, something that reminded her of another who often got into similar mischief. But she refused to let her thoughts go back there. There was nothing but pain and anguish there now. She sighed and continued to walk along the forest path.

  
“Again, I appreciate your help,” she said. “But I am perfectly fine to go my own way from here. I’m sure you have people waiting on you somewhere.”

  
“Nope,” he replied easily. “I’m on my own.”

  
_Of course you are_ , Era grumbled silently to herself. “Look, with all due respect, I really don’t want any company right now,” she said as politely as she could.

  
“Then think of me as a body guard,” the man remarked. “It really isn’t safe for you to wander through these forests alone. With all due respect.”

  
“I’ve handled myself perfectly well in the past and I assure you I can continue to do so without your help,” Era retorted. “Besides, I’ve never had any problems using this path.”

  
Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, there was a mighty crash resounding from the trees to their left. From out of the underbrush came a trio of ragged looking men wielding sharp swords with a deadly menace. They all cried out, one of them men swiping at Era threateningly. She reacted instinctively, easily dodging the sharp blade and retreating further away from the thieves.

  
The Water Tribe man did the exact opposite.

  
He leapt toward the thieves, taking out his own, shorter sword from his belt and swinging it at the men. Era watched, stunned, as this single man took on three others at once, countering their attacks swiftly and with calculated ease. It was clear he was well trained as a warrior, a fact that did not escape the thieves but they were still determined to try and get whatever valuables they could from the pair.

  
The warrior aimed a hard kick, knocking one of the thieves to the ground. Once the man got back up to his feet he took off, abandoning his companions without a second thought. The remaining two still leapt at the warrior, but another kick and a swipe of his sword dispensed with the thieves, and they soon took off running as well.

  
The whole time Era could only stand well away from the fight, looking on with a mixture of amazement and guilt. Amazed that of all times she could have been targeted, she was being accompanied by a skilled warrior, and guilty because she was too afraid to do anything to help him. Not that he really needed any help. Not against those three, at least.

  
The Water Tribe man sheathed his sword, brushing his dark hair away from his face as he turned back to where Era still stood, dumbstruck.

  
“So,” he remarked with a wry grin. “Still think you don’t need my help?”

\- - -

His name was Malik. Native to the Northern Water Tribe and, up until a few months ago, one of the best warriors in their army and a skilled Waterbender. He had yet to say why he had left his tribe and his fellow warriors when it was clear he held both near to his heart, but Era did not push for details. She really had no right when she hadn’t even given him her real name.

  
Despite her protestations, Malik insisted he accompany her as she traveled eastward since there was no longer any point in trying to get work in the previous village. Not after what Malik had done.

  
At first Era had been thoroughly annoyed by his presence, but she soon found that, at least with him around, she was not constantly lost in her own dark thoughts. She even managed a few nights without any nightmares.

  
Before she knew it, a week had come and gone. The pair soon found themselves at the threshold of another, slightly larger village. It was both a blessing and a curse for Era; there would be more opportunities for work but the streets would be far more crowded than even the last village had been.

  
“You Earth Kingdom folks really know how to squeeze together,” Malik observed as they walked along the streets. Era merely nodded, her eyes downcast to avoid everyone’s gazes. It was paranoia more than anything else, but sometimes she felt like anyone could see right through her disguise and eventually someone, sometime, would reveal her as the Airbender she was. It was bad enough that Malik would get this odd look in his eyes whenever she glossed over parts of her fake past.

  
“So, where would you like to stay? Ladies choice,” Malik continued, pulling Era from her thoughts.

  
“Stay where?” she asked in return, looking up at him in confusion.

  
“At an inn. Surely you don’t want to keep living in the forest,” he remarked.

  
“Actually, that was my plan,” Era said curtly, turning her eyes back to the dirt path they were on. She was suddenly pulled to a stop, and she looked up at Malik with annoyance as he raised an eyebrow at her.

  
“Then what’s the point of getting a job if all you’re going to do is be a hermit?” he asked with a hint of laughter in his voice.

  
“I am _not_ a hermit,” Era snapped, yanking her arm back. “And even if I was, what’s so wrong with that?”

  
“Nothing, Lin. Calm down,” Malik said, raising his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying, it seems like a waste of your energy if all you’re doing is picking up odd jobs and never settling down.”

  
“I like to keep moving,” Era replied in a low voice. She sighed and crossed her arms, peering up at the Water Tribe warrior with a raised eyebrow of her own. “And what about you? You seem pretty content to keep moving around.”

  
“But I’m not.” Malik said this so simply that it took a moment for Era to register that he was serious. She blinked in surprise, her arms falling to her sides.

  
“Then why do you keep doing it?” she asked.

  
“You seem like you could use a friend,” Malik shrugged, smiling gently. He then turned and continued walking down the street, looking over his shoulder at Era. “So, it looks like there’s a nice inn down here if you want to stay there.”

  
Era stood for a moment longer, a blush coloring her cheeks before she followed Malik, falling into step next to him. “Don’t change the subject,” she scolded, hiding her embarrassment behind a façade of indignity. “You’ve only known me for a week. You’ve been traveling from place to place long before we ever met. You can’t tell me your pity for me is the only thing keeping you from settling down.”

  
“One, I don’t have any pity for you,” Malik remarked with a wry grin. “And two, of course there are other reasons I’m not settling down right now.”

  
“Then why are you using me as your prime excuse?”

  
“You’re more important.”

  
Another statement told so starkly like it was the most natural response in the world. Era felt another flush rise up, and she quickly looked away from Malik, keeping her eyes on the path before them. He said nothing more, walking along next to her in a companionable silence.

\- - -

They stayed in that village for a few weeks, gathering a small nest of money for supplies once they hit the road again. With Malik also finding odd jobs, they accumulated savings faster than when Era had been on her own. It was, truth be told, nice to have the extra money. And the company.

  
Despite trying not do so, Era ended up becoming friends with Malik. It was hard not to; he was smart and kind and funny. He always seemed to know when she needed someone to talk to, and when she needed her space. He was so easy going, too. Hardly anything fazed him, and whatever problems they came across he handled them with logical ease.

  
There was, however, a downside to their being friends. Era now felt even more guilty for hiding who she was around Malik. Even though he still remained fairly tight-lipped about his life in the Northern Water Tribe, with everything else Malik was nothing short of honest. But Era could not say the same. And every time he called her by her fake name, a fresh wave of guilt and frustration washed over her. But the fear of what would happen if anyone should find out an Airbender survived the Fire Nation’s attack, even if she wasn’t the Avatar, kept her from saying anything to alleviate her guilt.

  
Before she knew it, Era and Malik had been traveling together for five months.

  
They were currently staying at an inn in a rather large town, bordering on being called a city proper. Thanks to Malik, Era had managed to slowly get over her aversion to crowded areas, though she found she tolerated them better when he was at her side.

  
Both had gotten work with the local tavern, a warm and inviting place that had residents and travelers alike sitting within the spacious area, all of them talking animatedly and trading stories. The customers were, for the most part, kind and thoughtful to the two strangers as they bustled around the tables and gathered discarded cups and plates, and replaced them with fresh drinks and food. There had been a few incidents, though, very near the start of their work.

  
It wasn’t like they had done anything terrible, Era knew. But she was so used to her isolation and only being friendly with Malik that certain words or actions from some of the patrons would make her feel…uncomfortable. Thankfully, Malik was always there the second Era began to sense that the polite comments and looks were taking a downward turn. He somehow had a way of speaking diplomatically while at the same time insinuating that he would cause the offenders great harm if they continued with their behavior.

  
Only once did a group of traveling merchants ignore his warning, and for it they paid dearly. Since then, no one dared to do anything more than smile politely at Era and nod their thanks as she went about her work.

  
Era found herself chuckling at the memory as she cleared away a table. At the same time, a pleasant warmth bloomed in her chest as she recalled the furious look on Malik’s face, wielding his Waterbending and sending the lecherous merchants on an unpleasant ride halfway across town. She knew it wasn’t right to take pleasure in another’s suffering. But, they _had_ made her feel very uncomfortable.

  
She passed by Malik as he carried a dinner order to some patrons, his pleasant smile only fueling the warmth in her chest. Era then blinked and shook her head, trying to focus back on her task. _He was just being a good friend_ , she told herself. _That’s hardly anything new_.

  
For the remainder of the day Era determinedly went about her work, making sure nothing more crossed her mind than the various orders for drinks and food to fill and washing the dirty dishes. Soon the last table paid for their meal and left, allowing a collective sense of relief to wash over Era. While she didn’t mind the work at the tavern, with so many people coming in and out all day it could get tiring quite fast.

  
“Guess who’s locking up tonight?” Malik remarked as he came out of the back room, swinging a ring of keys around his finger. Era rolled her eyes.

  
“Again? That’s gotta be the fifth time this week,” she muttered, getting a broom to sweep around the tables.

  
“Well, it’s not like we have anywhere important to be,” he shrugged. Era merely grumbled under her breath while Malik went over to the door to lock up for the night. However, just as he reached toward the lock, someone knocked at the door.

  
Now Malik rolled his eyes, opening the door the shoo the latecomer away. “Sorry, we’re closed-”

  
He fell silent, causing Era to straighten up and looked toward the front of the tavern curiously. She blinked in mild surprise as she saw a man standing at the threshold, wearing Water Tribe clothing similar to Malik’s. The stranger stared at Malik for a moment before his face split into a wide grin and he embraced the other man. Era didn’t know what was more odd; the familiarity of the stranger or the fact that Malik didn’t hesitate to return to the hug, his own smile wide and gleaming.

  
“Malik! You have no idea how long I have been looking for you!” the stranger exclaimed, stepping back and appraising Malik.

  
“What? Missed me that much did you?” Malik teased, punching the man in the arm playfully.

  
Era looked from one man to the other, her confusion mounting. Malik noticed her attention and cleared his throat a little awkwardly. “Oh, sorry Lin. This is Kekoa. He’s an old friend of mine from the Northern Water Tribe. Kekoa, Lin.”

  
“A pleasure to meet you,” Kekoa greeted kindly. Era could only managed a polite nod in response, her confusion still palpable.

  
“So what brings you this far south?” Malik asked his friend.

  
“News from the Northern Water Tribe. About…you know…” Kekoa cleared his throat awkwardly and leaned closer to Malik, whispering something that Era could not hear. Whatever it was, it caused all the color to fade from Malik’s face.

  
“…I- How-? When-?” Malik stammered, blinking rapidly. Era ceased with her sweeping and stared at her friend with concern. He took a shuddering breath and ran a hand over his face. “How long ago?” he asked softly.

  
“About a month. She found out not long after you left,” Kekoa said, laying a reassuring hand on Malik’s shoulder. “She thought you should know, but she had no idea how to reach you herself. She’s perfectly fine; they both are.”

  
“I have to go,” Malik muttered, staring at the floor intently. “I have to. I can’t just leave them.”

  
“Malik, I didn’t tell you this just so you could go barging back!” Kekoa exclaimed. “You’re banished! You’ll be lucky to get out alive if you return!”

  
“I can’t just abandoned them!” Malik shouted in return.

  
Era could only continue to watch the two men, who seemed to have forgotten all about her. The longer she stared the more questions she had buzzing in her mind. But she kept her silence, afraid of what the answers might be.

  
“Look, before you run off and do something drastic why don’t we go ahead and take a walk?” Kekoa suggested. “You know, clear your head. Let this information sink in.”

  
Malik didn’t say anything for a moment, still lost in his turbulent thoughts. He then blinked, refocusing and looking over at Era with a strange expression. “I…I can’t just leave you here to close up alone.”

  
“It’s fine, Malik,” Era assured him with a small smile. “Do whatever you need to do. I’ll be okay.”

  
“Thanks, Lin,” he said, smiling gratefully. After handing over the keys he and Kekoa took off, the door clicking shut unusually loudly.

  
Era sighed, continuing with her work until every surface sparkled with cleanliness. She then left the tavern, locking up for the night and taking off down the empty road. As she walked, she couldn’t help but wonder what was going with Malik. She should have known from the start that he had been banished from his tribe; the more she thought about it the more obvious it seemed. Malik was a loyal person. He wouldn’t willingly abandon the people he was tied to.

  
Despite realizing this, Era still found her mind plagued with worry. A moment later she shook her head, grumbling under her breath. She had no right to pry into Malik’s life. She wanted to help, but she knew she had to keep her distance. At least until he was ready to come forward. If he ever would.

  
She eventually made it to the inn they had been staying at. Era smiled to herself as she walked up the stairs; it had taken awhile, but Malik had finally managed to convince her to give up living in the woods. There were moments when she felt oppressed and needed some fresh air, but otherwise Era found she had sorely missed sleeping in a proper bed.

  
Once she entered her room she immediately unbounded her hair from its scarf, making a beeline for her bed and all but collapsing upon the mattress. However, despite her best efforts, Era could not quiet her mind enough to sleep. She heaved a sigh and rolled onto her back, glaring at the ceiling. There she lay, her mind wandering through a myriad of turbulent thoughts that refused to settle. As such, she was still awake when she heard footsteps outside her door after what seemed like a few hours.

  
Era sat up slightly, listening intently. The steps then paused before soft voices filtered through the old wood and into her room. There was a brief moment of internal debate before Era got up silently from her bed, edging toward her door and holding her breath to hear better.

  
“Are you absolutely sure about this, Malik?” Kekoa’s voice came in a soft whisper.

  
“Yes,” Malik replied in an equally quiet tone. “I…I need to see her. To see them. I would never forgive myself if I didn’t.”

  
“Even if I’ve already told you a thousand times that Nani insisted you stay away?”

  
At this Malik gave a soft chuckle. “If she knows me at all, she’ll be expecting me at any moment.”

  
“Yeah…I guess you’re right.” Kekoa heaved a sigh. “What about Lin?”

  
Era clenched her jaw, straining her ears to their limits. Malik was silent for a such a long time that she almost thought he wasn’t going to answer his friend.

  
“Don’t worry about it, Kekoa,” he finally said.

  
“Okay. Well, get some rest. I’ll be back in the morning and we can head out.”

  
With that Kekoa’s footsteps sounded in the hall, uncomfortably loud in the silence of the inn. Then, a sharp tapping against her door nearly made Era leap out of her skin. She bit her tongue in an effort to not scream, quickly stepping back and snatching up her discarded scarf. Once she had made sure every pale lock of hair was tucked away and that her tattoos were still hidden, Era took a steadying breath and approached the door again, opening it and trying to appear as if she had been woken up.

  
“Hey, what’s up?” she asked, forcing out a yawn.

  
“Sorry to wake you, Lin,” Malik apologized, smiling lightly. “I just needed to tell you something.”

  
“…Okay,” Era prompted when he remained silent. “What is it?”

  
“I need to leave for awhile. Head back to the Northern Water Tribe,” Malik said, staring at the floor as he spoke. “I’m…I’m really sorry. But this is something I need to do.”

  
“Oh. That’s…that’s fine, Malik,” Era managed to say, smiling lightly. “Like I said before, do whatever you need to do. Um…I hope everything goes well for you.”

  
For a moment Malik said nothing, gazing at Era with an odd look in his eyes. He then smiled and stepped closer, wrapping her in a warm hug. “Thanks, Lin,” he murmured. “I knew I could count on you to be understanding.”

  
Era opened her mouth to say something, but she found the words stuck in her throat. So instead, she merely nodded and hugged her friend, feeling safe in his arms and reluctant to let go.

  
Of course he stepped back after a moment, smiling again and turning to disappear into his own room. Era stood at her doorway for a little longer, chewing her lip pensively before turning away and going back to her bed. Sleep never found her.

\- - -

The next day Malik and Kekoa headed out, and Era was once again on her own. She continued working at the tavern for a few more days before she finally had enough and quit. Then, she packed up her belongings and headed out of the town, wandering the roads much like she had done before she had met Malik.

  
It irritated her that she was unable to fall back into her routine. She had had three years of living on her own before that Waterbender had come into her life. Far longer than she had known him. So, why was Era finding it impossible to acclimate herself to her solitude?

  
She found that she’d rather not think on the answer to that question.

  
To make matters worse, about a week after she and Malik had gone their separate ways the nightmares started up again. Every night she would come awake in a cold sweat, her heart racing as old memories swam up in painful waves. Era cursed her bad luck, hating that she was so weak.

  
In time, though, she settled into a relatively stable routine. A month soon came and went, and as the days passed she let go of any hope of seeing Malik again. It seemed that whatever he had needed to do at the North Pole, something had happened that made him stay. She didn’t blame him, either. While he had been pleasant enough around her, even laughing and joking at times, there was still often an air of sorrow that hung around him. Perhaps he had finally found his happiness.

  
Era heaved a sigh, staring down into the placid waters of the gentle river she had stopped by at. She had been traveling along the forest path for a few days, and it would be a few more before she came to the next village. She had once again shrunk back into her shell, hating being around crowds when she couldn’t avoid it. It was, if anything, worse than before, with Era pushing herself to the limits and holding off on getting new supplies for as long as she could possibly withstand.

  
She dipped her hands into the chilly water, simply enjoying the feel of the current. She then reached over to her water skin to refill the pouch. That done Era stood back up, looking down the path in the direction of her destination. Her stomach grumbled quietly, making her grimace in irritation.

  
“Where was that berry bush I passed?” Era mused aloud to herself, stepping away from the edge of the river. As she looked around she heard some rustling in the trees. Era stopped in her tracks, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. Before she could do more than shift position the bushes erupted with action, several careworn bandits leaping out at her.

  
Era jumped back as one of the masked thieves swiped at her with a sharpened blade. Several more followed while two of the pack grabbed her belongings and began to shamelessly tear through them, searching for anything valuable.

  
Another bandit swiped at Era, his eyes grinning with cruel amusement. Without wasting another moment she took off, crashing through the trees in an attempt to shake off the rowdy group. However, she could hear them hot on her trail, determined to not miss a single opportunity for treasure. Era grit her jaw, forcing her legs to move as fast they could without actually Airbending.

  
Suddenly the ground dipped, and Era found herself tumbling down a sloping hill. She let out a cry, trying to gather her bearings as she fell head over heels down the embankment. Her scarf caught on a stray branch, the cloth ripping from her hair as her momentum threw her further down.

  
Finally, she came to a stop. Era lay there for a moment, dazed, but at the sound of her pursuers she forced herself to stumble back up to her feet. She looked back up at the hill, her anger chasing away her fear. After everything she had been through, she could not allow some mangy thieves beat her down even further.

  
Era took in a deep breath, summoning her energy. She then shot her hands out, unleashing a powerful blast of wind. At the same time, a wave of water came pelting down the hillside. Both bending attacks caught the bandits, shooting them several yards to the right. The water came again, pushing the thieves even further into the underbrush and freezing them in place.

  
Shocked, Era looked up to see Malik standing on the crest of the hill, holding her bags. They stared at one another for a moment before she became aware of her loose hair hanging around her face. She raised a hand to her forehead, her fear coming back in full force as she realized that her arrow tattoo was exposed. She spared Malik a final terrified look before whirling around and taking off through the trees.

  
“Lin, wait!” Malik shouted after her. Era’s only response was to use her Airbending to speed herself along, the green surroundings blurring as she made her escape.

  
She kept running, the only thought in her mind being to get as much distance between her and Malik as possible. However, as the edge of the forest came into view and she prepared to pour every ounce of energy she possessed into her Airbending, a wave of water came pelting around from the side, freezing into a solid wall that she just barely managed to avoid crashing into. With trepidation Era turned around, facing the Water Tribe native as he stood several feet away, still gasping from the effort he had put into chasing after her.

  
“Why did you run from me, Lin?” Malik demanded.

  
“That’s not my name!” Era snapped. “And you know perfectly well why.”

  
“No, I don’t,” he retorted, dropping her bags to the ground between them.

  
Era scoffed. “Sure you don’t. Just stay away from me, Malik. Go back to the Northern Water Tribe where you belong.” She turned to leap up over the icy wall only to be grabbed by her shoulders and spun back around.

  
“Would you please stop trying to run and just talk to me?!” Malik implored, his blue eyes piercing into Era’s bronze orbs. “I just want to help you. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  
There was a moment longer of hesitation before Era deflated, all of her anger and fear leaving her. Her secret was out; there was no point in hiding anymore.

  
“My name is Era,” she said, casting her eyes to the ground. “I used to live at the Eastern Air Temple. Before…”

  
Malik didn’t say anything for a moment. Then, he gently lifted her chin up so that she would have no choice but to look at him. “How did you survive?” he asked quietly.

  
“I…have no idea,” Era replied. “When…when the Fire Nation attacked everyone…ran and tried to escape, or tried fight them off. Me and my friends were running through the temple when-” She stopped herself, her throat closing up as wave after wave of painful memories swam up all at once. “There was so much going on. One minute I was running and then the next I was falling. And my friends…they tried to hold on but it was too much. I don’t remember anything else until I woke up the next day. And everyone…everyone was gone…”

  
“I’m so sorry, Era,” Malik said, drawing her closer into a hug. Despite herself Era soaked up his warmth, using him as an anchor to hold onto lest she collapse into her painful memories completely.

  
After several long moments he drew back, peering down at her with a kind smile. “You can trust me, Era,” he promised. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

  
Era gave a watery chuckle. “You’ve been doing that from the beginning,” she remarked, looking back at her abandoned bags pointedly.

  
“I always knew you were important,” Malik shrugged playfully. He sobered a moment later, though. “Have you gone back yet?”

  
“Back to where?” she asked in confusion.

  
“Back to the Eastern Air Temple.”

  
Era blanched, stepping away from Malik quickly. “No! Of course not, why would I do that?! What good could that possibly do for me?”

  
“You’ve been running from your pain, Era,” Malik said patiently. “I can only imagine how that must feel for you, but you can’t run forever. For the sake of your spirit, you should go back and face those memories.”

  
“You’re right,” Era muttered, looking away. “You don’t know what I feel.”

  
“I know what it feels like to run from something. I know what it feels like to carry that burden with you day and night. It’s not pleasant. And only when you can confront your past will you be able to move on.”

  
Era remained silent, but she pondered over Malik’s words. He made sense. Somehow, she knew he was right. It was what the monks would say, after all. She would never be free again if she kept this burden on her shoulders.

  
But to go back there, where everyone she had known and loved died in the most evil way possible, she didn’t know if she had the strength.

  
At that moment she felt Malik’s hand slip into hers, holding it tightly. “I can go with you, if you want,” he offered.

  
There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation as Era looked back up at her friend, nodding gratefully. She grabbed her bags, fishing out another length of cloth to tie up her hair only to have Malik stop her.

  
“Don’t. We won’t be running into any villages along the way,” he said. “Plus, I really like your hair. I always wondered what it looked like.”

  
Era blushed lightly but put the cloth away, following the Waterbender as they made their way to the Eastern Air Temple.

\- - -

Several days later found the pair camped at the base of a large mountain range, where somewhere within the peaks lay the temple. Era felt more scared than anything, wondering if she really would gain peace by walking through the ruins that, mere years ago, was home to the lively Air Nomads that she had grown up with.

  
Malik was her driving force. Always there whenever she needed to be calmed down and encouraged to continue with their venture. Now more than ever she appreciated his steady mannerisms.

  
They sat in a companionable silence as evening fell, enjoying a simple dinner. Despite her being a vegetarian, Malik was able to find all sorts of wild nuts and berries that kept her sated during their travels. With everything he did, Era found herself eternally grateful that she had found such a friend.

  
There was, however, something that she was direly curious about, but she had held her tongue for fear of offending Malik. As a result, the urge had only grown stronger.

  
“Hey, Malik?” Era piped up tentatively.

  
“Hmm?” he replied around his mouthful of food.

  
“I-I was wondering something. But…I don’t know, I mean I don’t really have any right…a-and certainly you don’t need to answer if you don’t want to-”

  
“What is it, Era?” Malik cut over her with a kind smile.

  
“Why didn’t you stay at the North Pole?” Era asked, shedding all inhibition in favor of her curiosity. However, as the words left her mouth Malik’s face fell into a pained look, and she immediately regretted her decision.

  
“I’m so sorry, Malik. Please, forget I said anything,” she quickly mumbled, ducking her head and staring at her knees. They sat in silence once more, only now the tension was palpable. Era cursed herself for prying into Malik’s private business.

  
“I had this friend growing up,” Malik suddenly said, his tone pensive. “We were really close, almost like siblings. Everything we did we did together. Well, almost everything,” he chuckled lightly. “She wasn’t a Waterbender.

  
“Life was pretty good for us. We were happy and content, sharing wild dreams of traveling the world and exploring the other nations. Of course, I wanted to become a warrior like most of the boys in our village. Nani thought it was adorable and she would make fun of me and Kekoa whenever we were training. In all honesty, we weren’t that great in the beginning. There were a lot of accidents and injuries.

  
“Then, about a year ago, Nani found out she was going to marry the son of the chief.” Malik sighed, peering into their campfire. “She hated him. He was an arrogant and spoiled young man. But it wasn’t her place to speak out against the arrangement. Whether she liked it or not, she had to go through with it.

  
“She came to me one night, crying. That scared me; Nani had never been the type to cry in front of anyone. Especially me and Kekoa. Thought it made her seem weak. I tried what I could to comfort her. There wasn’t much I could do, though. An arranged marriage could only be revoked by the parents of either of the betrothed.”

  
At this Malik blushed slightly, looking away awkwardly. “After we spent some time talking…well…things kind of…advanced more than we had intended.”

  
Era blinked, confused for a moment until realization hit her. “Oh! I-I see…” she said, blushing heavily.

  
“She was in a really delicate state,” Malik continued. “It just sort of…happened. But we swore it wouldn’t happen again. We were great friends, we never wanted to be anything more. And she was engaged now, like it or not. So we put it behind us and moved on.

  
“Unfortunately, we were found out a few days later. I guess the chief’s son had his soon-to-be wife followed to make sure she wasn’t doing anything she wasn’t supposed to be doing. His man saw Nani leaving my hut after being there all night, still crying and miserable. He told his father and his father was furious. He threatened to have us both banished. I couldn’t stand to see my friend humiliated like that. She didn’t deserve it. So…I told everyone I had forced myself on her. I said that I was jealous and wanted to take what was mine. Nani had had no say in the matter.”

  
Era’s eyes widened as she stared at Malik. He heaved a sigh. “Nani tried to stand up for me, but I wouldn’t let her. No one would, they were sure she was still traumatized and scared that she was going to get in trouble. And for what I had done I was banished from the tribe. I traveled south, trying to forget what had happened. Tried to move on with my life. And that’s when I met you, Era.”

  
“Wow…” she mused softly. “You made everyone think you were a monster…just to spare your friend.”

  
“I had no other choice,” he shrugged. “As much as she wanted to travel the world, Nani loved living in the Northern Water Tribe. It was her home. It was where she was happiest, even despite being betrothed to an arrogant prince. If she had been banished…she would have been crushed.”

  
“I see.” Era looked up at the starry sky, her brow furrowed. “So, if you were banished, then why did you return to the Northern Water Tribe?”

  
“Well…my banishment wasn’t the only consequence of what happened,” Malik remarked. “Kekoa left the tribe on Nani’s request, because she wanted me to know.” He paused for a moment, a small smile on his face. "Several weeks after I left, Nani found out she was pregnant. Because of that, the chief’s son wanted nothing more to do with her, and he demanded the engagement to be revoked. When Kekoa told me all this, I knew I had to go back. I had to see her, to make sure I hadn’t ended up ruining her life because of what happened. He helped sneak me back into the tribe without anyone knowing. I’m grateful to him for that. It was a great risk on his part, helping someone who was banished.

  
“When I found Nani she was living on her own. She wanted to start her own life, though her parents were more than willing to help. They felt terrible that she had to raise the child of the man whom they believed had assaulted her.” Malik shook his head with a bitter sort of chuckle. “But the thing was, despite what I thought she would be feeling when I met with her, Nani was actually…happy. She was free of her engagement to a man she could never love. And she had a daughter to care for.”

  
“So you got to see her? To see them both?” Era asked.

  
Malik nodded. “Her name’s Kanna. She’s so small and fragile, but she looks just like her mother. I hope it stays that way; I’d hate for her to have to grow up looking like the man everyone thinks ruined her mother’s life.”

  
“You didn’t ruin her life, Malik,” Era immediately assured him. “You did whatever you could to make sure she would live happily. And she is now. Right?”

  
“Yeah,” Malik smiled. “She’s really happy.”

  
Era smiled as well. “And…you? Are you…happy?”

  
He didn’t respond right away, his gaze fixed on the starry night sky. “Yeah,” he finally murmured, looking back at Era. “I’m happy. Nani has everything she needs and I…well, I have you. And I’m glad.”

  
Era blushed and looked away, but that didn’t stop the wide smile from spreading across her face. They fell silent once more, feeling content in the light of their fire.

\- - -

The next day they began the long climb up the mountains. Era used her Airbending to help them both up the steep slopes, though once snow began to appear along the ground Malik was able to use his Waterbending to move swiftly as well. By the time the afternoon sun was shining down upon the pair, they were at the base of what was once the Eastern Air Temple. Era looked up the rocky slope, the mists thick and obscuring the sight of the temple itself. But she could easily picture it in her mind’s eye. And she wasn’t sure if she could continue this journey to its end.

  
As she continued to hesitate Malik took her hand into his own, smiling gently at her. Era smiled back, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves before beginning the final stretch of climbing. Before long, she found herself standing in the ruins of what was once the courtyard.

  
Nature had already begun to take over what had been destroyed. Surprisingly, there were new buds of trees scattered here and there. The vines were the swiftest, crawling all along the crumbling stone walls and turrets.

  
But what got her the most was the silence. Nothing made a sound. No birds, no lemurs, no bison. Nothing.

  
Era wasn’t sure what she had expected. But somehow, she felt a crushing weight of disappointment settle over her heart. _Why did I think this would be good for me?_ she wondered bitterly.

  
“It’s so peaceful,” Malik remarked as he looked around.

  
Era scoffed. “Yeah. Almost like nothing terrible happened here.”

  
“You can’t let the bad things overshadow the good,” he said patiently. “You’ve spent the last three years doing that, but did that ever help you?”

  
“…No,” Era relented.

  
“Talk about the good. And only the good.” Malik pointed across the courtyard and toward a distant set of tall poles. “What were those used for?”

  
Despite her reservations, Era decided it would be easier to humor Malik and give him a tour of her old home. But then, as she showed him the various places and rooms that the nomads had used, she found herself feeling more uplifted. Remembering everything that she had done with her friends, all the good times they shared and the laughs they had, it really did help to chase away the some of the sorrow that had clung to her spirit. She missed them all terribly, and she always would. But as long as she could look back on the good, she really would be fine.

  
At long last Era opened up to Malik, sharing stories of her past. She talked about Chanda and Reem, reenacting some of the more amusing adventures they had had. She talked about her older brother, how he had been an overgrown goofball but was always willing to help whenever she needed it. She talked about her Airbending training and how she finally earned her tattoos and how she then began to learn how to care for the sky bison. And all the while Malik listened, smiling and laughing and enjoying her stories as much as she enjoyed telling them.

  
As they wandered the temple Era noticed loose leafs of parchment that had managed to escape the wrath of the Fire Nation, the rolls scattered about and forgotten. She picked them up along the way, explaining some of the writings and diagrams to Malik. Before long, she had a sizable bundle in her hands.

  
Night fell and they made themselves comfortable inside the abandoned temple. Era felt far more at ease than she had in a long while, and she knew a great part of that was thanks to Malik.

  
“Hey,” she said, looking over at him. “I want to thank you. After everything that happened, I was sure I’d never be able to fit in with anyone again. Then you came along.” Era blushed, glancing away. “You’re…you’re truly the best thing that has happened to me. And I can never thank you enough for that.”

  
After a moment she felt Malik’s warm hand against her cheek, turning her face back around. He smiled gently, his eyes piercing into her own. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, too,” he whispered before pressing his lips against hers. Era felt every fiber of her being come alive from that one kiss, and she knew that she would stay with Malik no matter what may come. He was everything she needed; compassionate, patient, thoughtful, and wise. And she would make sure she was everything he would need.

  
After a few moments Malik pulled back a little, kissing Era one more brief time before wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. They leaned back against the wall, basking in their mutual happiness.

\- - -

Three more months passed, and Era felt wonderfully content with her new life. She and Malik traveled back into the Earth Kingdom proper, eventually settling down in a quiet little village. They quickly adapted to the rhythm of their new home, soon finding jobs and a house to call their own. It was a prime location, set a little ways away from the main area of the village which allowed them a moderate amount of privacy. For Era, she found this especially helpful for when she wanted to practice her Airbending.

  
She was currently working through her stances. The late afternoon sun shown down on her as she moved the air all around the clearing, stirring the leaves of the surrounding trees. As she straightened back up, she could hear someone approaching. Era quickly cut off her bending, looking around to see Malik returning from the main area of the village. She relaxed and smiled.

  
“Good haul today?” she asked, approaching him.

  
“I’d say so,” Malik grinned, holding up a sizable pouch of coins. “Word on the street is I’m the best fisherman to come around in a long time.”

  
“Not exactly a difficult feat consider how many fish you’ve Waterbended out of the local lake since we got here,” Era remarked with a sly grin.

  
“Shh,” Malik shushed her, planting a kiss before Era could do anything else.

  
Later they ate dinner outside, watching the sunset in a companionable silence. Well, almost. Era couldn’t help but notice that Malik seemed fidgety, and growing more so as the minutes passed. She looked sidelong at him, wondering if she should ask if he was alright. Just as she opened her mouth to do so, he spoke.

  
“So…y-you know I love you, right?”

  
Era blinked. “Of course. I love you too, Malik,” she said, smiling gently at him.

  
“Right. And…I’ve told you that you’re the best thing to happen to me, right?”

  
“Malik, what is it?” Era prompted. “Is something wrong?”

  
He opened his mouth to say something else, only to shake his head and think better of it. He then reached into his pocket, pulling out something that looked like a necklace.

  
“Back in my tribe, it was tradition for men to carve a necklace for the women they loved. A-as a symbol of their devotion.” Malik looked over at her briefly before holding out the necklace. It was a pale blue stone carved with the symbol of the Air Nation. Smaller, dark blue stones lined the outer edge of the pendant, carved in such a way that they looked like ocean waves.

  
“…Malik?” Era asked hesitantly.

  
“Era…will you marry me?”

  
She stared at the necklace for a moment longer before looking up at Malik, his face filled with painful hope. A smile spread across her face as her heart warmed and filled with more love than she thought was possible to hold.

  
Without another thought she flung her arms around his neck, her momentum causing them both to fall to the ground. Before Malik could look properly bemused Era kissed him soundly, savoring his warmth and taste. She then pulled back, smiling anew.

  
“Of course I’ll marry you, Malik,” she murmured. “There’s no one else I’d rather be with.”

  
Malik grinned back, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her again. They stayed like that for awhile, the stars slowly making their debut against a peaceful sky.

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clarify, the implication is that Emi is a distant relative to Katara and Sokka, all of them sharing the same great-grandfather. I personally never found anything that was canon regarding Kanna's parentage, so I just ran with it.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this short tale! Stay tuned next Monday (or more likely late Sunday night because it takes me awhile to edit these things) for another peek into the life of one of Emi's ancestors. Next up, her grandfather Zeru.


End file.
